![]() For comparison sake, single barrels of Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Eagle Rare have just as much of a chance to stand out and are likely to be easier to find and cost less. They are fascinating in what they reveal about a particular brand, but pose a do or die style in how they deliver. The chase and high secondary prices for Weller Single Barrel could make one believe it’s the best of its pack, but single barrels can be tricky. I’ve had more great Weller 12 Years and Full Proof bottles than bad, but just as many boring CYPB, Antique, and Special Reserves. The Weller brand doesn’t have an immaculate track record that its secondary prices may lead some to believe. It's much more straightforward, perhaps more sweet and fruity too as a result. Sure this single barrel is a little rougher around the edges, as its palate and finish lacks any real highs and lows in its non-blended state. Its 97 proof also doesn’t do this bourbon any favors, but it’s high enough to show how even-keeled Weller bourbon is. While this is only one single barrel in which to corroborate my theory, it is revealing nevertheless. I had my hunches that blending played a big part in what made the Weller brand - especially the 12 Year - work. Like many fans of the Weller brand, I always wanted to taste it in its single barrel form. But if you’re in the market to purchase a Weller product to open and drink, I’d take the lower priced Weller 12 Year by comparison any day. It is barely an average value at its MSRP, and certainly not for its secondary prices. With single barrels seeing a much more diverse and less constant level of quality simply by their very nature, I’d move with caution based on my particular single barrel. ![]() ![]() Sadly, the reality is that the far majority of customers will see Weller Single Barrel for an inflated price, either from a store or the secondary market. Buffalo Trace is known for undercutting other distilleries’ prices, but it's interesting to see it much more in line this time. This price point also puts it near or slightly below where other companies price their single barrel releases. What is noticeable about Weller Single Barrel is its jump in price to $50, which is in line with CYPB and Full Proof, but considerably higher than Special Reserve, Antique 107, and 12 Year. ![]() How do you talk about value when it comes to Weller bourbons? Due to Buffalo Trace’s tight allocations and rabid consumer demand, few are able to purchase a bottle at MSRP. It maintains its grip on a classic bourbon style and offers little beyond that to truly stand out. Now that it has, it's what you’d expect it to be, possibly even a little less so. Possibly due to its pedigree, or Buffalo Trace reserving single barrels for their private selections for stores and groups, it felt like it's taken forever for a standard non-pick Weller single barrel to happen. With most major brands releasing a single barrel version of their brands, it is notable that Weller was a major holdout in this space for so long. Its proof also falls in the middle of Weller's current lineup, with Special Reserve, and 12 Year at 90, CYPB at 95, Antique 107 at 107, and Full Proof at 114. The palate keeps with the typical Weller flavor profile, while the finish is a bit more dry and oaky though not exclusively so. The first is its extreme fruit-forward nose compared to other Weller releases and even compared to the wider range of bourbons produced by Buffalo Trace. With Weller Single Barrel being its latest incarnation, it is similar in its styling to Weller 12 Year with a few minor differences. It’s good at what it does and so far has stayed in its lane more times than not. It's a classic style wheated bourbon with a few minor differences between its many iterations. Weller in all of its forms has never stood out because of its uniqueness.
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